Monday, November 5, 2012

Winning with God Every Time

“But strive first for the kingdom of God
and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

— Matthew 6:33 (NRSV)

These words of Jesus’ were spoken
in response to the generally petty fears we have about things like what we will
eat and what we will wear. We can extend the intention of this Word of God to
the broader subject of seeking knowledge of God’s will and the commitment to
carry it out.

There are at least two ways we can
win within the game of life with God every time.

Both involve the seeking of and
obedience to the carrying out of God’s will. The first way is to look for the
silver lining upon every cloud. The second way is to choose for an aggressive
joy in every bad circumstance, because we have nothing less than the full
spiritual Presence of God that is the reason for such joy.

Choosing to See the Silver Lining

Not the prosperity gospel message
at all, this idea is simply about reframing our expectations so whatever happens we can see the winning side out of
any matter. The winning side is any dimension of issues that favour us. People
call this the silver lining on the cloud—for, every cloud has a silver lining,
some say.

Seeing the silver lining and not
the dark thunder cloud, preferring the positive over the negative, is just a
matter of perspective. It’s a choice for joy, not frustration. It’s a choice for
joy, not inner conflict.

But seeing the silver lining is,
at best, a worldly form of winning every time. The superior way is
spiritual—where God holds sway every day.

Opting for God’s Will, No Matter What

This is without doubt the most
difficult component of living the Christian life. It’s about jettisoning the
want of the flesh, as we favour the want of God.

It’s about installing as a habit choices
for God’s will every time.

Opting for God’s will no matter
what is about choosing an aggressive joy which is procured by faith. When we
meet the will of God—as it’s presented to us, as life is working out—with a
willingness to be open and receptive, without dwelling on what could become a
mounting resentment, we prove faithful in the moment. And we join this moment
that is won to God’s will with the next moment, and so on. It takes an
aggressive joy to display such faith, and we can afford to when we realise we
have nothing less than the full spiritual Presence of God which is reason for
such joy.

***

Winning with God every time is
about seeing the positives in the negatives, and agreeing that obeying God’s
will is always the best idea. When we view life as if God is always for us, as
is the case, we stop seeing how life gangs up on us. Joy is all about
perspective.

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2 days ago

Steve Wickham (Author Page)

My Ezine-Articles

My Passion... a work in progress.

Have you ever thought much about the purpose of your life? (The message to the meaning of life is more urgent than I first thought.)
sIt is to reconcile the inner discord within every single one of us. Most of us are actually somewhat blind to this. We search for peace almost everywhere but often miss the actual source.
sIt’s about God. It’s about relationship. It’s about growing passionately toward God, worshipping Him via the things we think, say and do -- a commitment for the rest of our lives. At its essence, this involves a continual process of learning.

My Specific Call

My key passion is upholding a vision of life balance and re-creation of value for living, and an exploration of the spiritual person within us. As an advocate for a fair, right and just life, I have a passion for Biblical wisdom, including the Psalms.